Local News

West Point Area Historical Society Website Launched

by Carole Roche

The Town of West Point Historical Society is now officially online, offering visitors a wealth of archival material including area plat maps, glass plate photographs, and "A Look Back Through Time", pages from the history of the Town of West Point and its early families, compiled by Patti Gottschall Schuknecht with the help of other society members and friends for the New Town Hall Time Capsule. Located at www.townofwestpointareahistoricalsociety.org , the site has "already received several hits that have allowed us to provide assistance and information," said Joan Ryan, Historical Society President. "We will be adding more material as time goes by, and look forward to being an historical resource for the community."

With the motto 'Today is Tomorrow's History", the seeds of the West Point Historical Society were planted in January, 2001 during an informational meeting attended by thirty town history buffs at the old West Point Town Hall, which has since been moved to the Lodi Fair Ground. "Beginning in 1999, a number of us had met informally in each others' homes to share family histories and photographs, but two years passed before we made the decision to have regular meetings at the town hall for "Show and Tell" programs with old-time photographs and historic documents the focus," Ryan said."

"We wanted to reach out to others who might want to share their history," added Schuknecht.Initial group members included West Point natives Charleen Chrisler Richmond and Karon Kohn Hamilton, wives of West Point natives, Joan, Della and Chris Ryan, and a descendant of West Point Natives, Patti Gottschall Schuknecht. Before long, residents Ed Jacobsen, Carol Grant Troestler and another descendant of a West Point native, Mary Ann Johnson joined them. These nine became the first Commission Board.

In October 2002, a vote was taken by the group to organize as the West Point Historical Society. The West Point Historical Commission was appointed a year later by the West Point Town Board to oversee the society's work. "The Historical Commission works like a board of directors on by-laws and policies, while the society is a working committee," said Ryan. The goal of both is to collect, preserve, and share the history of the Town of West Point."

Indeed, when a new town hall was built in 2004, the Historical Society was given office space in the building, so the Society's historical documents and photographs are now in a protected location. Historical materials on West Point's early families, one-room schoolhouses, and military history are all available for area residents to view at the Society's office at N2114 Rauch Road. "As we do not have regular office hours we do ask that people call first, and we will make arrangements to meet them there" said Ryan. "There is a lot to see, and we encourage area residents and visitors to come in for a visit, although much of our material is now available online.

Yet, the search for additional historical material is ongoing and Ryan urges, "Anyone with historical documents or photographs to add to our collection, please give us a call. After all, history is never ending. It is always a work in progress."

NOTE: For further information on becoming a member of the West Point Historical Society, or to make an appointment to view historical material, please call 608-592-7059.

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